Women Meeting in the Shade

c. 1890

Ker Xavier Roussel

(French, 1867–1944)

Culture

France, 19th century

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

Unframed: 31.1 x 39.2 cm (12 1/4 x 15 7/16 in.)

Credit Line

Bequest of Muriel Butkin 2022.434

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

Known mostly for his small Nabis paintings of the 1890s, Roussel also produced large murals for the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, and the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Description

Roussel was a founding member of the French avant-garde group known as the Nabis (prophets) and the brother-in-law of fellow member Édouard Vuillard. Roussel shared their fascination with Japanese prints and developed a style of radically simplified forms and strong, decorative color. His intimate views of daily life convey a mood of quiet feeling rather than focusing on narrative, storytelling content. This painting depicts a group of figures, presumably two women and four children, meeting in the shade of tall trees, while other figures walk along the grassy riverbank.